


My Top 5 Reasons for Loving Podfic

by yourlibrarian



Category: Fandom - Fandom
Genre: Gen, Meta, Podfic
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-05-15
Updated: 2016-05-15
Packaged: 2018-06-08 16:20:55
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 613
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6862774
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/yourlibrarian/pseuds/yourlibrarian
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>I wish I could have come up with something more profound for pod_aware, but I guess it's a good thing I don't often have to meet fandom deadlines!  I don't think I can add anything to the topic of feedback that <a href="http://amplificathon.livejournal.com/1084252.html%20">hasn't already been better said</a>.  So instead, from a listener, some reasons why podfic is awesome and deserves all the love it can get.</p>
            </blockquote>





	My Top 5 Reasons for Loving Podfic

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted November 11, 2011 as part of [pod-aware](http://pod-aware.livejournal.com/9979.html)'s [Pod Awareness Week](http://pod-aware.dreamwidth.org/5823.html).

1) It's another community!

There's nothing like a new format of fannish creation to expand the boundaries of who can take part in fandom, and the creation of new fannish spaces in which to interact. It's great to not just get the goodies but also to see the discussions that take place around a new area of fandom, and how those issues shed light on existing fannish practices. New media can create new infrastructures, new options for people to share their creativity, and new reasons to congregate. It's more events that fill the fannish calendar, more interactions with people across fandoms, and more people stretching themselves as they try out new things and share their experiences. More is almost always the way to go.

2) It's great to have an alternate way to enjoy fic.

Not that there's anything wrong with the written word, but stories are definitely experienced differently when it's done through a different format. For one thing, it's always great to me to hear readers who seem to be enjoying the story as they read. I suspect I would be very involved in trying to maintain pace and enunciate clearly, much less do anything else. But apparently some people are also able to convey more with their voices, and there's nothing more fannish than enjoying stuff together.

Also great is that, although single file downloads are increasingly available for fic, it's certainly not universal. And even when it is, all you have to do is go to any eBook group to see people complaining about formatting issues, organizational issues, and readability on their particular device. I get the sense that audio files are far less of a problem and I know that I'm always thrilled to see that someone has recorded that fic I've been meaning to read. 

3) It's great to be able to enjoy fic while doing something else.

As much as I read on my eReader these days, it's still reading, even if way more convenient. And while I have been capable of, say, reading while walking on a track or standing in line, it's pretty great to be able to be doing a lot of stuff while listening to fic, whether it's household chores, driving, or just working with one's hands. Podfic certainly expands the amount of time I can give to fic which is a favorite thing of mine to do!

4) It can be enjoyed anywhere.

(Ok, maybe there are things one should not be doing while listening to podfic.)

I remember reading some time back that the commonplace nature of MP3 players meant that people who used hearing aids no longer felt as stigmatized, because now tons of people walk around with wires coming out of their ears. And I also remember reading about how many people, particularly romance readers, loved eReaders because their choice of reading was less visible to others around them. Well, podfic allows people to enjoy their stories almost anyplace with no one being the wiser, so let's hear it for podfic!

5) It can help share stuff you love.

This might be true of people in different fandoms, outside of fandoms, or just people who are very busy and would love to read fic but just never get to those recs you sent them. Podfic makes a great gift, as people are even more likely to have an MP3 player than an eReader, and can more easily listen through their computer than reading on it. Podfic is something that can be shared by people in real time. And thus podfic allows more people to discover all the great things that fandoms produce and the people who produce them.


End file.
